After listening to todays #COVID19AB update, I can say (again), that I'm not mad, just disappointed. 1/

Yet again, the @CMOH_Alberta/ @YourAlberta has reiterated that paramedics are phase 2 priority for vaccination. 2/

She definitely dodged @CBCRaffy's question about paramedics being recognized as HCWs. 3/

It's definitely confusing to me, to hear the rationale of paramedics being delayed. I'm going to have to paraphrase, so bear with me: '...want to vaccinate those who work most with vulnerable populations...', '...vaccinate those who are at highest risk for adverse outcomes...' 4/

Those are just two that stuck out me, and particularly the latter has me Are ICU staff more prone to poor outcomes versus other staff? That's a legitimate question I'm asking, since that line was dropped after saying those staff needed to be vaxxed first. 5/

There's an obvious (to me at least, I could surely be wrong) increased risk to LTC staff, based on socioeconomics and demographics, for increased poor outcomes, but that's not what I'm here about today. 6/

Let's get to the former point as well; residents of LTCs, supportive living facilities, and emergency housing shelters are what I'm assuming the @CMOH_Alberta means by vulnerable populations. 7/

DYK, paramedics attend all of these locations, and more, on a daily basis? I'd say it's more than fair to call what we do higher risk, because we enter all of the facilities; we are not single site employees. 8/

It's getting increasingly frustrating to be repeatedly stonewalled in the fight to be included as invaluable HCWs who are the literal front line of this. 9/

I mean, how do people think residents of the majority of these facilities get to ICU? Hint: by ambulances that are staffed by paramedics. 10/

I have so many coworkers who are not invincible, and have comorbidities that are not their fault; diabetics, asthmatics, autoimmune disorders, etc., the list goes on. 11/

My twitter feed is full of medics across the country, continent, and globe, being provided with their first doses, because their employers and government understand the crucial role paramedics play, and high risk situations we're in all day, every day. 12/

*caveat: I do know that my employer doesn't have much of a say in vaccine distribution, so I don't hold them responsible, and I'm believing that my SLT is advocating on our behalves. 13/

I sincerely hope that the Moderna news will allow for @YourAlberta to step up and follow suit of so many other provinces, and that they #vaccinateyourparamedics. 14/14